Fulfilling Fate
by KidAtHeart
Summary: What happens when old friends meet again after five years? Ash/?. Please R/R.


Disclaimer: Pokemon does not belong to me, so leave me alone.

A/N:  Please don't judge this fic based on the pairing.  It was a spur of the moment type of thing.  I usually support AAML, but after watching four certain episodes, this idea just came to me.

Fulfilling Fate 

By KidAtHeart

_"We'll definitely meet each other again."_

Those were her last words…to _him_…  It had been five years since their last meeting, but it seemed just like yesterday.  She could still see his confident face, the fire within his eyes, as he battled her.  She could still see the way he fought to help protect her Dratini and the Dragons' Holy Land.  She had known the moment she saw him that he was one of a kind…

But all those things were just memories now.  He had left, with his faithful friends, to go back to New Bark Town and onto the Silver Conference—and she had never seen him again since…

Yet, fate intervened.  It made sure that her words and wishes would come true.  It made sure that he would reach his dreams.  For after years of hard work and waiting, he was finally a Pokemon Master.  

Inside, she was immensely proud of him, but she couldn't help wishing that he wasn't one.  She would never have a chance with him now, seeing that he would probably be surrounded by girls all the time.

She was ready to give up when _it_ came: an invitation to a party in honor of the new Pokemon Master.  She stared at it with disbelief.  Did it mean that they would see each other again?  Yes, she would finally see that boy again.  That brave, handsome, kind-hearted boy.  

"It must be a dream," she whispered.  "If it's a dream, then I never want to wake up."

*Days Later at the Party*

Dressed in her usual outfit, she made her way to the party.  When she arrived, she saw that a ton of people had already gathered to celebrate _his_ victory.  Making her way through the crowd, she carefully avoided certain people and made her way to a familiar face.

"Hello.  Longtime no see."

"Uh…do I know you?"

She smiled.  Had it really been that long?  "Of course you do.  Don't you remember me?"

"Hmmm…I should be able to remember a beautiful girl like yourself…"

She laughed, "You haven't changed a bit, Brock.  Let me reintroduce myself.  I'm Clair of the Blackthorn Gym."

"Ohhhh!  I remember now.  You're the one that Ash…"

"That I what?  What about me?"  A voice suddenly interrupted.  

They both turned around.  In front of them, stood a tall, handsome, dark-haired young man.  He wore a nice black button-up shirt, Khakis, and black sunglasses.  A pikachu stood perched on top of his right shoulder.  

"Ash?" Brock and Clair asked with disbelief.  

"The one and only."  He smiled, and Pikachu greeted them with the usual "Pika."

Clair felt faint, but before she could say anything, two female voices called out, "Hey Ash!"  They turned around and saw Misty and another girl walking towards them.  

"Clair, Brock, Misty, I'm sure you still remember each other.  Allow me to introduce May," he gestured towards the other girl, "my girlfriend."  

Clair felt severe pangs in her heart as he said those last two words.  He was gone now, gone forever.  She tried her best to hold back her tears.  She didn't want to look at the happy couple, so she turned her eyes towards Misty and Brock.  

She could see that she wasn't the only heartbroken one.  Misty looked just as devastated.  She mumbled a "Congratulations" to Ash and ran off.

"What's with her?" Ash asked, puzzled by Misty's behavior.  

"I suppose she was just overwhelmed with happiness for you."  Clair tried her best to cover for Misty.

"Oh okay…" Ash was still as clueless as ever.  

Suddenly, May spoke up, "Ash honey, why don't you and Clair go take a walk?  You haven't seen each other in so long.  I'm sure you have lots to talk about."

"That's a great idea.  How about it, Clair?"

Clair consented, wondering what May was up to.  She watched as May talked to Brock with a smile on her face.  Suddenly Clair understood: May wanted to make Clair jealous and heartbroken.  Clair laughed, May sure was one weird girl.

"Come on.  Let's go."  Ash said as he handed Pikachu to May.  

"Oh, congratulations on becoming a Pokemon Master," Clair said as she and Ash proceeded to walk by the lake.  

"Thanks.  So how are things going with you?"

"Nothing much really.  I'm not as busy as you with your Pokemon training and _your_ May."

Ash laughed, "So what do you think about her?  Do you like her?"

"She's a nice girl, but I always thought that you would fall for Misty."

"Well, I did for the longest time, but then she left.  Afterwards, I met May.  In some ways, she reminded me of Misty and…_you_."

"Me?!" Clair could not believe her ears.

"Yeah, I don't know why, but she just did…"

"Oh…"

"Anyways, enough about May.  What about you?  What's this I hear about you and Lance?"

Clair was startled by his question.  "Ummm…nothing really.  We just dated for a while and then broke up.  It's as simple as that."

"No, it couldn't be that simple.  You were completely in love with him when I first met you.  Seriously, what happened?"

"I…"

"You what?"

"Fine.  I'll tell you the whole story.  It's true that I used to be in love with him, but I never knew how he felt.  Then one day, I met this boy.  He resembled Lance in so many ways, yet he was also different in so many ways.  I liked him the moment I laid my eyes on him.  

As I got to know him, he became even dearer in my heart.  His courage, kindness, determination, and dedication to his Pokemon touched my heart.  When he defeated me in a battle, he took not only my rising badge but also my heart.  I wanted to tell him how I felt, but it didn't seem right.  I was much older than him, and I figured that he already liked someone else.  

The next day, I spent one last adventure with him, and then he left.  It had been four memorable days, and I knew that he would always remember me through his rising badge.  That night I couldn't stop crying.  

Weeks later, Lance came back and confessed his love to me.  He asked me to be his girlfriend and I consented.  

What about _him_?  My heart had asked, but my mind was made up.  I would forget that boy and focus on Lance.  Yet fate was cruel.  No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't forget him.  Everywhere I went, I saw his face.  At night, he haunted my dreams.  

It was driving me crazy, and Lance and I were arguing all the time.  He was no longer the same guy I had fallen in love with, so I broke it off with him after a month."  

As she finished her story, tears began to well up in Clair's eyes.  

"I'm so sorry.  I shouldn't have asked you to recollect those painful memories."

"No, it's okay, Ash.  It's better if I tell someone.  My feelings have been bottled up inside me for too long."

"So what happened afterwards?  Did you see that boy again?"

Clair nodded.

"And?"

"He had a girlfriend already.  I was devastated.  I should have known that he would never love me."  With those words, Clair walked off.

"But he does love you."

Clair turned around abruptly.  "What did you say?"

"He loves you, Clair.  It may have taken him a while to figure that out, but he knows now that he truly loves you."

"No, he doesn't love me.  He has _her_ already."

"He doesn't love her.  He loves _you_, Clair.  He can't live without you.  Please don't leave him."

"This is a dream, isn't it?"

"No, Clair, it isn't, and he'll prove it to you."  

And with that, Ash gently kissed Clair, fulfilling what fate had started five years ago.

~Fin~

A/N:  This is my 1st Pokemon fic.  Please review and no flames please.


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